Shoulder pad



Patented Mar. 16, 1948 STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates in general to a shoulder pad and in particular to an all rubber shoulder pad adapted to fill out the contour of a wearers shoulder.

In present clothing styles it is frequently desirable to place padding in shoulders of suits, dresses, and the like to provide a more stylish shoulder appearance. It is necessary that this padding be convenient to produce and insert, and further that the padding be properly constructed and designed to simulate at least in appearance and preferably in texture and feel a natural human shoulder. Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a new shoulder pad.

It is another object of the invention to provide a shoulder pad adapted to be inserted in the shoulder portion of clothing and the like.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an all rubber shoulder pad to be inserted in clothing and the like.

Additional objects of the invention as well as the construction and use thereof will in part be obvious and will in part become apparent from the following disclosure.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawing forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a shoulder pad according to one form of this invention.

Fig. 2 is a side cross sectional view of the article shown in Fig. 1, taken along the line 22.

Fig. 3 is an end cross sectional view of the article shown in Figs. 1 and 2, taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a shoulder pad according to a further form of the invention.

Fig. 5 is an end cross sectional view of the article shown in Fig. 4, taken along the line 5-5.

Fig. 6 is a side perspective view in cross section of a shoulder pad form of the invention.

Referring to the figures in detail, in Figs. 1 to 3 there is shown a shoulder pad generally designated l0, comprising an integral, unitary piece of a flexible material shaped to conform to a wearers shoulder and to fill out and modify the contour thereof, the pad l0 having at least one securing member or hole I2 therein to permit it to be secured to an article of clothing.

The pad I!) is constructed of a flexible, resilaccording to a, still further ient, elastic material such as rubber or a rubber substitute. Throughout the specification and the claims the word rubber will be used generically to designate materials including true rubber and various rubber substitutes such as reclaimed rubber, synthetic rubber of various sorts, and other materials having rubber-like properties in that they are capable of being flexed and are generally soft and preferably somewhat spongy.

The general shape of the pad IE is triangular in outline when viewed from above, tapering from a relatively thick portion at the base of the triangle to a thin portion at the apex of the triangle. The upper surface of this triangular wedge is convexly curved to simulate in appearance the modified shoulder outline which it is desired to produce. The lower surface of the pad is concavely curved to conform substantially with the contour of the shoulder on which it is to be placed.

According to one form of the invention the pad will be constructed in accordance with the individual needs and requirements of the particular wearer for whom it is constructed; ac-

cording to another form, numerous pads will be I constructed according to the various needs of numerous wearers, and each person will select the pad most nearly approximating his own need; according to a still further form of the invention, various sizes of pads will be constructed for insertion in clothing to accentuate normal shoulder contours to the extent desired for the particular style of clothing.

In each of the various forms of the invention there is provided at least one securing member such as holes l2 for securing the pad to the clothing in which it is to be placed. As shown in Fig. 1, there may be seven holes I2, one at the end corner of the generally triangular pad, and three at each of the other two corners, whereby conventional stitching or the like may operate to fasten the pad within the shoulder of the clothing.

struction, in addition to those set forth clearly in Fig. 1, and further clarify the outline of the Dad H).

In Figs. 4 and 5 there is shown a further form of the invention generally similar to that shown in the previous figures, with additional structural features as follows:

The pad I0 is of similar general shape to the pad shown in Figs. 1 to 3, and has at least one securing member l2 thereon. Along the under surface of the pad ID are a series of pairs of Figs. 2 and 3 show further details of the con- 3 grooves or slots l3, each pair having a thin fiexible ridge l4 therebetween. These grooves taper in depth with the thickness of the pad l0, generally retaining substantially the same ratio as compared with the thickness of the pad.

In the form of the invention shown in the figures, these grooves l3 and ridges M are roughly half the depth of the pad, tapering to the vanishing point as the point II of the triangle is approached and likewise approaching closer to one another.

The ridges I4 according to this form of the invention are characterized by being thin and easily flexible, whereby they serve to bend to accommodate lumps in any other padding material which may be present in the clothing structure,

while the grooves l3 receive folds or bulk of padding material to'permit the pad to be fitted substantially more permanently and in a fixed position in the shoulder of the clothing. Since the pad 10 is substantially thinner adjacent to the grooves it, the pad tends to be more easily bent in this region, whereby there is a tendency for adjacent loose material to be gathered into the grooves. In addition, of. course, this increased flexibility of the pad, especially near its edges, permits the pad to be bent more easily to conform more closely with the contour of the shoulder on which it is worn, and thereby increases the adaptability of each individual pad for fitting a number of various shoulders of slightly different outline shapes.

In Fig. 6 there is shown a still further form of the invention in which there is a pad lfla of similar shape to those previously described, having a plurality of securing holes 12a, and having a series of pairs of grooves 13a, each pair having a ridge, Ma therebetween. This form of the invention differs from that shown in Figs. 4 and 5 in that grooves l3a do not extend the entire length of the pad 10a, but on the contrary terminate short of each end.

This, of course, somewhat decreases the flexibility imparted to the pad Ilia, and slightly decreases the flexibility of ridges I411; however, this flexibility may easily be restored by increasing the depth of the groove, as shown in the figure wherein the groove is substantially two-thirds the thickness of the pad.

In this form of the invention grooves I3a, in addition to the previously described purposes, also act as suction cups, whereby they exert a securing force when contacted with a smooth relatively vapor resistant surface, such as the human skin. This form of the invention, accordingly, is particularly adapted to be placed on the inside of the clothing where it is positioned directly against the wearers shoulder, and when so worn it serves to assist in securing the clothing in the proper position with respect to the wearer's shoulder.

The article according to any of the forms of the invention set forth herein is easy to manufacture, being entirely of one piece, and is easily placed in an article of clothing. Likewise, the unitary nature of the article insures that it will not be subject to accidental disassociation after being properly located in the clothing as might easily be the case with padding made up of numerous pieces or layers.

It is to be understood that the shoulder pad may be covered with any suitable material as desired.

While I have illustrated and described the pref-erred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise construction herein disclosed and the right is reserved to all changes and modifications coming within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. An all rubber unitary shoulder pad comprising a triangular wedge shaped member having its thick portion at the base of the triangle and its thin portion at the apex of the triangle and having its upper surface curved convexly to simulate a modified shoulder outline and having its lower surface concavely curved to conform with the contour of a wearers shoulder, said pad having therein at each triangular corner a securing hole for fastening the pad to an article of clothing, and two pairs of grooves along the under surface of the pad, each of the pairs of grooves having a narrow flexible ridge therebetween.

2. An all rubber unitary shoulder pad comprising a triangular wedge shaped member having its thick portion at the base of the triangle and its thin portion at the apex of the triangle and hav ing its upper surface curved convexly to simulate a modified shoulder outline and having its lower surface concavely curved to conform with the contour of a wearers shoulder, said pad having therein at each triangular corner a securing hole for fastening the pad to an article of clothing, and two pairs of grooves extending along the under surface of the pad running in a direction between the apex of the triangle and the base of the triangle and terminating short of the apex of the triangle at one end and short of the base of the triangle at the other end.

JAMES M. PICCINNI.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,068,644 Frais Jan. 26, 1937 2,110,951 Frais Mar. 15, 1938 2,162,858 Pankey June 20, 1939 2,273,498 Romaine Feb. 17, 1942 2,274,261 Vogel Feb. 24, 1942 2,400,210 Royce May 14, 1946 

